Catalogue of the papers and correspondence of HAROLD DAVENPORT FRS; (1907 - 1969)

Mordell, a distinguished mathematician of American origin, with a special interest in number theory, was Fielden Professor of Mathematics at Manchester when Davenport took his first degree there. The Manchester school of mathematics was particularly strong in the 1930s, and included several refugee mathematicians; Davenport also joined it as Assistant Lecturer in 1937. Mordell succeeded Hardy in the Sadleirian Chair at Cambridge 1945-53 and remained in contact with Cambridge mathematics until his death in 1972. Davenport was among his closest friends. Mordell recognised his quality from a very early stage (see G.208), helped him to share his own special interest in the geometry of numbers, and, according to J.W.S. Cassels, looked on Davenport as `his spiritual heir' (Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 19, 1973, pp.493-520).

The later correspondence (from about 1944, when Christian names began to be used) provides interesting general information on the mathematical scene as well as continuing exchanges on research problems and papers. There are also occasional contributions from Mabel Mordell.